Microbial mortality behavior promoted by silver (Ag+/Ago)-modified zeolite-rich tuffs for water disinfection

BACKGROUND

In developing countries, death due to diseases caused by fecal-oral ingestion can be avoided by taking action on drinking water issues. Adequate access to water treatment systems to reduce infections is a critical cause. Silver has been used as an antibacterial product, including biomedical applications. Therefore, in this paper, the effect of the chemical speciation of silver from silver-modified zeolite-rich tuffs on the mortality of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Streptococcus faecalis (S. faecalis) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) suspended in aqueous solution was investigated for disinfection purposes.

METHODS

The following aspects were considered to develop the investigation: a) the technique to prepare the modified zeolitic materials, either with ionic silver or silver nanoparticles, which were obtained in two ways: one, with grapefruit extract and the second, by using non-thermal plasma generated in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor of parallel plates; b) the response of the prokaryotes (bacteria) and eukaryote (yeast) microorganisms to disinfectant agents in batch systems; c) the disinfection processes as a function of time to obtain kinetics parameters; and d) the kinetics of the silver release from the silver-modified zeolite-rich tuffs, considering the models of Higuchi and Korsmeyer. The zeolitic materials were characterized by low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

RESULTS

The non-thermal plasma reduced ionic silver is more efficient at generating silver compounds with several oxidation states, which are essential during the microbial inhibition process. For the bacterial (E. coli and S. faecalis), the materials with nanoparticles were efficient to inactivate them. However, the yeast (C. albicans) reaches the total inactivation when the zeolitic material contains ionic silver in the crystalline network.

CONCLUSION

The E. coli, S. faecalis and C. albicans survival behavior suspended in aqueous solutions after contact with Ag-modified natural zeolites depends on the chemical speciation of the silver present in these materials, Ag⁺¹ in the case of OAg_iZ or nanoparticles of Ag^o promoted by the grapefruit extract (OAg_npTZ), as well as by non-thermal plasma generated in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor of parallel plates (OAg_npPZ). In general, the concentration of silver in the aqueous solution after the disinfection process cannot exceed the recommended levels established for international organizations. The OAg_npPZ is a potential microbicide agent against E. coli and C. albicans, and the OAg_{n pT}Z for F. faecalis.Graphical abstractARTWORK.

Initial-rate based method for estimating the maximum heterotrophic growth rate parameter (μHmax)

Currently, the method most used for measuring the maximum specific growth rate (μ(Hmax)) of heterotrophic biomass is by respirometry, using growth batch tests performed at high food/microorganism ratio. No other technique has been suggested, although the former approach was criticized for providing kinetic constants that could be unrepresentative of the original biomass. An alternative method (seed-increments) is proposed, which relies on measuring the initial rates of respiration (r(O2)(_ini)) at different seeding levels, in a single batch, and in the presence of excess readily biodegradable substrate (S(S)). The ASM1-based underlying equations were developed, which showed that μ(Hmax) could be estimated through the slope of the linear function of r(O2)(_ini)·(V(WW)+v(ML)) vs v(ML) (volume of mixed liquor inoculum); V(WW) represent the wastewater volume added. The procedure was tested, being easy to apply; the postulated linearity was constantly observed and the method is claimed to measure the characteristics of the biomass of interest.

Effect of the pH and temperature on the biosorption of lead(II) and cadmium(II) by sodium-modified stalk sponge of Zea mays

OBJECTIVE

The present work was carried out to investigate the effects of temperature, initial pH, initial concentration, and contact time on the biosorption of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) by modified stalk sponge of Zea mays using a batch technique.

METHODS

The biomass was chemically modified with a 0.1 M NaCl solution. The lead and cadmium sorption process was evaluated at 20°C, 30°C, 40°C, and 50°C.

RESULTS

The results showed that the modified stalk sponge of Z. mays had a good capacity for biosorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II). The kinetic behavior was described by the pseudo-second-order model for both metallic species. The experimental isotherms obtained at different temperatures were fit with Langmuir and Freundlich models. Thermodynamic parameters ΔH(0) and ΔS(0) were calculated using the van't Hoff equation, and the results show that Pb(II) and Cd(II) sorption by modified stalk sponge of Z. mays is an exothermic and spontaneous process.

Radon concentration levels in ground water from Toluca, Mexico

Concentration levels of 222Rn have been analysed in water samples from deep wells of the aquifers around the City of Toluca, Mexico. The 222Rn source is the decay of 226Ra within the solid matrix of the aquifer. With a half life of 1600 years the 226Ra continuously releases 222Rn to the pores, from which it diffuses into the main body of water. This paper describes the methods used for sampling and measuring solubilized and 226Ra-supported 222Rn in the water samples, in order to evaluate possible health hazards due to the presence of radon in the drinking water supplies. The relationship of 222Rn with the hydrogeologic characteristics of the zone is also described. The analytical method involves laboratory extraction of 222Rn into toluene. Alpha disintegrations of 222Rn and contributions from short-lived daughters are counted by the liquid scintillation technique. The system was calibrated using a 226Ra standard solution. Results up to 11.3 Bq/l of 222Rn were obtained in the water samples.